Andhra Pradesh Travel Guide: Tirupati, Vizag, Araku and Districts
Photo: Kartik Kumar S, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
Andhra Pradesh holds a long stretch of India's east coast, from the Eastern Ghats near Odisha down to Tamil Nadu. Pilgrims come in great numbers to Tirumala, but the state also has Buddhist sites along the Krishna, limestone caves, a river gorge at Gandikota and quiet beaches near Visakhapatnam. Trains cover it well, and the food is some of the hottest in India.
Andhra Pradesh is a coast of rivers, chillies and hill shrines.
Where to go
- Tirumala and Tirupati: the Sri Venkateswara temple on the Tirumala hills, one of India's great pilgrim sites. Read Andhra Pradesh's temples, from Tirumala to Lepakshi.
- Visakhapatnam: beaches along the coast road, the view from Kailasagiri hill and a submarine museum on the sand.
- Araku Valley and Borra Caves: coffee and tribal villages in the Eastern Ghats, and deep limestone caves on the way up.
- Vijayawada: the Kanaka Durga temple on its hill above the Krishna, and the rock-cut caves at Undavalli.
- Amaravati: the site and museum of an ancient Buddhist stupa on the Krishna, older than the new capital that shares its name.
- Lepakshi: the Veerabhadra temple, with painted ceilings and a great stone Nandi bull nearby.
- Gandikota: a fort on the edge of a red gorge cut by the Penna river.
- Belum Caves: a long cave system with lit passages under farmland.
- Srisailam: the Mallikarjuna temple above the Krishna gorge, in the Nallamala forest.
- Papikondalu: a boat trip through the Godavari's gorge in the Eastern Ghats.
For the state's older mosques, read Andhra Pradesh's mosques, from Adoni to Kadapa.
Main cities
Amaravati, on the south bank of the Krishna across from Vijayawada, is the capital. Parliament gave it legal status as the capital in April 2026, and much of it is still being built, so visitors usually stay in Vijayawada.
- Visakhapatnam: a port city of beaches and hills, and the base for Araku.
- Vijayawada: the river city on the Krishna, for its temple, caves and the Prakasam Barrage.
- Guntur: a large chilli market, and a base for Amaravati and the Kondaveedu fort.
- Tirupati: the town at the foot of the Tirumala hills.
- Rajamahendravaram: a Godavari river town and the start of boat trips to Papikondalu.
- Kakinada: a port town known for its sweets, near the Coringa mangroves.
- Nellore: the Ranganathaswamy temple on the Penna river.
- Kurnool: the gateway to Belum Caves and the rock garden at Orvakal.
Districts
Andhra Pradesh has 28 districts. The state went from 13 to 26 districts in 2022, and two more, Markapuram and Polavaram, were created with effect from 31 December 2025. They fall into three traditional regions: North Andhra in the north-east, Coastal Andhra along the Godavari and Krishna deltas, and Rayalaseema in the dry south-west.
The 28 districts are Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Ananthapuramu, Annamayya, Bapatla, Chittoor, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, East Godavari, Eluru, Guntur, Kakinada, Krishna, Kurnool, Markapuram, Nandyal, NTR, Palnadu, Parvathipuram Manyam, Polavaram, Prakasam, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore, Sri Sathya Sai, Srikakulam, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari and YSR Kadapa. Polavaram's headquarters is Rampachodavaram, and Annamayya's is now Madanapalle.
Festivals
- Sankranti (January): the harvest festival, with rangoli at doorsteps, kites and family feasts, at its biggest in the Godavari districts.
- Ugadi (March or April): the Telugu new year, marked with ugadi pachadi, a relish of six tastes.
- Brahmotsavam, Tirumala (September or October): nine days of processions of Venkateswara on carved mounts around the temple streets.
- Dasara at Kanaka Durga, Vijayawada (September or October): the goddess dressed in a different form each day, and a decorated boat on the Krishna.
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and can move by a day; check before you go.
Food to try
- Pesarattu: a green gram dosa, often served with upma folded inside.
- Gongura pachadi: a sour, fiery relish of sorrel leaves.
- Pulihora: tamarind rice, also offered in temples.
- Andhra meals: rice with dal, spiced powder and ghee, pickles, rasam and curd.
- Pootharekulu: paper-thin rice sheets folded with sugar and ghee, from Atreyapuram.
- Kakinada kaja: a fried pastry soaked in sugar syrup.
Stories from Andhra Pradesh
- Mosques of Andhra Pradesh: Adoni, Kadapa Dargah and Gandikota
- Temples of Andhra Pradesh: Tirumala, Srisailam and Lepakshi
- Hill Stations in Andhra Pradesh: Araku, Lambasingi, Horsley Hills
- Cities in Andhra Pradesh: Vizag, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Amaravati
- Andhra Pradesh's 28 Districts by Region: What to See in Each
Plan your visit
| Best season | October to March. April to June is very hot inland. The monsoon (June to September) is the best time for Araku and waterfalls, and cyclones can reach the coast from October to December. |
|---|---|
| How to reach | Airports: Visakhapatnam (all scheduled flights now use the new Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, north of the city, which opened on 17 August 2026), Vijayawada (Gannavaram), Tirupati (Renigunta) and Rajahmundry. Main railway junctions: Vijayawada Junction, Visakhapatnam Junction, Tirupati, Renigunta Junction and Guntakal Junction. Chennai airport is also convenient for Tirupati. |
| Getting around | State APSRTC buses link every town, including frequent buses up the ghat road to Tirumala. Trains cover the long coastal runs, and a train from Visakhapatnam climbs to Araku. Use a car with driver for Gandikota, Belum Caves and Lepakshi. |
| Where to stay | Visakhapatnam (along Beach Road or at Rushikonda); Araku town; Vijayawada; Tirupati, or rooms at Tirumala booked through the temple trust; Rajamahendravaram for the Godavari; Kurnool for Belum Caves; Jammalamadugu for Gandikota. |
| How long to spend | Two days for Tirupati and Tirumala; four days for Visakhapatnam and Araku. A ten-day trip can add Vijayawada and Amaravati, or Gandikota, Belum Caves and Lepakshi in the south-west. |
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Andhra Pradesh?
October to March, when it is cooler and mostly dry. Araku and the Eastern Ghats are greenest in and just after the monsoon.
How many districts are there in Andhra Pradesh?
28. The state went from 13 to 26 districts in 2022, and Markapuram and Polavaram were added with effect from 31 December 2025.
Which airport do I use for Visakhapatnam?
Since 17 August 2026 all scheduled flights use the new Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, north of the city. Allow about an hour by road from central Visakhapatnam.
How do I book darshan at Tirumala?
Darshan tickets and rooms are booked through the official website of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the temple trust; popular slots go quickly. Check the current booking rules and dress code on the TTD site before you go.
Is it safe to visit Andhra Pradesh in the monsoon?
Inland travel is usually fine, but heavy rain can close ghat roads and cave sites for a time, and cyclones can strike the coast from October to December. Follow India Meteorological Department warnings.
Written by Muthu, editor of Aura of India. Sources: Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority, Markapuram District, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Polavaram District, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport: start of commercial operations. Last verified: 13 October 2026.
Your turn: Tirumala before dawn or the train up to Araku: which would you do first?
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